Nierembergia plant named ‘USNRB1201’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nierembergia  plant named ‘USNRB1201’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; large violet blue-colored flowers; relatively long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nierembergia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USNRB1201’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofNierembergia plant, botanically known as Nierembergia hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘USNRB1201’.

The new Nierembergia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall,Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compactand mounding Nierembergia cultivars with early flowering habit andstrong foliage.

The new Nierembergia plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor on Jun. 10, 2005 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, of an unnamedselection of Nierembergia caerulea, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary selection of Nierembergia hybridaidentified as code number UCU-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Nierembergia plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jul.6, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nierembergia plant by vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jul. 10,2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Nierembergia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nierembergia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USNRB1201’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USNRB1201’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofNierembergia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   4. Large violet blue-colored flowers.    -   5. Relatively long flowering period.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nierembergia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nierembergia are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Nierembergia flower earlier than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Nierembergia have lighter-colored flowers        than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Nierembergia differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nierembergia flower for a longer period of        time than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Nierembergia and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have pale blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nierembergia can be compared to plants of Nierembergiahippomanica ‘Blue Eye’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,314. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the newNierembergia and ‘Blue Eye’ differed primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Nierembergia were not chlorotic        whereas leaves of plants of ‘Blue Eye were chlorotic’.    -   2. Plants of the new Nierembergia flowered earlier than plants        of ‘Blue Eye’.

Plants of the new Nierembergia can also be compared to plants ofNierembergia ‘Mont Blanc’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Nierembergia and ‘MontBlanc’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nierembergia and ‘Mont Blanc’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Mont Blanc’ had white-colored        flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new Nierembergia flowered earlier than plants        of ‘Mont Blanc’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Nierembergia plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Nierembergia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘USNRB1201’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘USNRB1201’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the autumn in 12.5-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C., night temperatures rangedfrom 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were six weeks old whenthe photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nierembergia hybrida ‘USNRB1201’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Nierembergia            caerulea, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Nierembergia hybrida identified as code number UCU-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and            mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely            branching habit with about eight primary lateral branches            each with multiple secondary and tertiary lateral branches;            pinching enhances branching potential.        -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong; wiry.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 138A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B;            venation, close to 146B.-   Flower description::    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single actinomorphic funnelform flowers;            flowers face mostly upright to outwardly; freely flowering            habit with about 37 to 42 flowers and flower buds per            lateral stem.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early, long and continuous            flowering habit; plants begin flowering about six weeks            after planting and continuously flower from spring to late            autumn in California.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about three to four            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Obovate; with slender tubular base. Color: Close to            N187C to N187D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base. Lobe length: About 1.4 cm.            Lobe width: About 1.4 cm. Tube length: About 1.3 cm. Tube            diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex:            Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly rugose. Color: Developing petals,            upper surface: Close to N87A. Developing petals, lower            surface: Close to N88C. Fully expanded petals, upper            surface: Close to 90C; towards the center, close to 12B;            color becoming closer to N87D with development. Fully            expanded petals, lower surface: Close to N88C to N88D; color            becoming closer to 85C with development. Throat: Close to            157D. Tube: Close to 157D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused at base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 8 mm.            Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            About 45° from the lateral branch axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to            145D. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther color: Close to 6C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 6A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Stigma shape: Anvil-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 144C. Style length: About 2.1 cm.            Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 189A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nierembergia have not    been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Nierembergia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nierembergia have been    observed to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures from about −3° C. to about 43° C.

1. A new and distinct Nierembergia plant named ‘USNRB1201’ asillustrated and described.